Faxanadu

Faxanadu is a side-scrolling action RPG set in a dying elven world. The tree that holds up the world is rotting, its citizens have fled, and your character returns from a journey to find the dwarves have taken over the trunk. It is Hudson Soft's spin-off from Falcom's Dragon Slayer line.

What makes it work is the shop economy. Gold matters far more than experience - you buy armour, weapons, magic and, crucially, consumables, and every death costs you a portion of your gold when you respawn. That turns attrition into a real system: grinding for gold is normal, and picking up items from fallen enemies is a genuine reason to fight rather than avoid. The world is one long vertical tree with towns, mantras used as keys, and a password save. Its English translation is famous for its odd phrasing, and the soundtrack is one of the better-regarded NES scores.

• ▸Side-scrolling action RPG with a single continuous world tree
• ▸Gold-based economy - armour, weapons, magic and consumables all bought
• ▸Death costs gold, making resource management part of survival
• ▸Mantras learned and spoken to open locked doors